Rates Of Domestic Violence Have Increased Roughly 30% Since Covid Lockdowns Began
The response to the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in numerous disasters for our society, from high unemployment rates to stunted economic growth to increased rates of suicide. Unfortunately, we have also seen a spike in domestic violence cases across the world.
It makes logical sense that shutting people inside their home for two years would result in a rise of domestic violence, but we didn't expect it to have this much of an impact on the rates of abuse in the home. According to the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, the rate of domestic violence around the world has increased 25-33%.
The Lockdown Was Responsible for Many New Domestic Violence Cases
Heterosexual women are the people who are most likely to face domestic abuse out of all the demographics of victims, and almost 20 people are physically abused by a partner per minute in the U.S. This rate only increased due to everyone being locked inside their homes day in and day out for months on end.
Another study by the United Nations agency for gender equality showed that 7 in 10 women witnessed an increase in domestic violence in their community. This data came from 13 different countries. Additionally, 1 in every 4 women reported feeling less safe at home.
Sumayah Abed, M.D., assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Department of Family and Community Medicine and physician at UAB Hoover Primary Care Clinic, explained why this is the case.
"The pandemic also aggravated alcohol abuse, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder."
“Besides the quarantine situation, the pandemic also aggravated alcohol abuse, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder,” she said. “All of these factors created an environment that exacerbates domestic violence.” Turn out being isolated in your home for extended periods of time doesn't have great outcomes all around. Color us shocked.
Domestic Abuse Continues To Be Underreported
We still don't know the most accurate rates of domestic violence, as many cases go unreported, particularly during the time of the coronavirus pandemic. There are more people than ever staying home every single day, and many of the victims of abuse feel more disconnected than they ever have before due to the lockdowns.
Unfortunately, pregnant women are at an even higher risk of domestic violence. Experts also point out that any kind of abuse taking place in the home has a ripple effect that has an impact on children and other family members.
The negative effects of the coronavirus lockdown keep pouring out. It seems like we are learning every day of new studies that prove just how damaging it is to keep everyone locked in their home for months while robbing them of the chance to live and work normally outside of the home. It turns out, all of us who spoke out against the lockdowns from the very beginning were right – and yet we were chastised for having the guts to question whether these lockdowns were the right choice for communities across the world.